Javits Declines to Attend Dirksen Party at Miami Beach Club That Bars Jews

August 2, 1968

NEW YORK (Aug. 1)

Sen. Jacob K. Javits, New York Republican, said today he had declined an invitation to a party planned next Tuesday by Sen. Everett Dirksen, the Senate Minority Header, at the Bath Club in Miami Beach, which bars Jews and Negroes as members. The club also had been the site for a big party for Gov. Nelson Rockefeller of New York but the party sponsors cancelled the event when they learned of the club’s policies.

The Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith urged Sen. Dirksen yesterday to cancel his party for Republican notables coming to Miami Beach for the Republican national convention. Asked about the club’s restrictive policies, Sen. Dirksen replied that Sen. Edward Brooke, a Negro, and Sen. Javits “will be at the party, so what has that to do with it?” Sen. Javits said here, “I am definitely not planning to attend any function at the Bath Club.” He reportedly alerted the Rockefeller people about the club’s policies. An aide to Sen. Brooke said in Washington that the Senator had been planning to attend the party, unaware of its ban on Negro members, and that he did not know whether Sen. Brooke would change his mind.

Arthur Teitelbaum, ADL Miami director, said the Bath Club waived its restrictions on Jews for special private events but that he did not know of any Negro who had ever been admitted to the club as a guest.